Steam plant



Nov. 6, 1928.

F. H. WKLLCOX STEAM PLANT Filed May 17, 1924 Patented Nov. 1928 i if v UNITED STATES FREDERICK 'n. wmfneoxyor CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR ro EREYN ENGINEERING OOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OE MAINE.

1,690,389 PATENT OFFICE.

f STEAM PLANT.

Application filed 7 May 17,

The present invention relates to steam plants. p

More particularly the present nvention relatesto steam plants involvingsteam using devices which aresubject to wide variations in load, which plants. also employ devices which emit waste heat.

An object of the present invention is to provide. a steam plant which is subject to 10 wide variations steam demand, which plant will economically utilize waste heatfor supplying the peaks of said fluctuating demand. 1 p

A further object is to provide a steamplant involving a coal fired boiler, a steam line,

steam using devices which present a fluctuating demand for steam,.waste heat emitting devices and means ut llzlng the waste heat from said heat emittlng'devices for supplementing said coal fired boiler and supplying the demands of said steam using devices. I

A further object is to provide a system. useful in connection with ,sto'kerjfired boilers which are subject to widevaria'tions [I1 steam demand, which system will permit a smaller supply of fuel to the stoker when heavy demands occur, whereby theunneces sary consumption of fuel will be minimized. A further object is to provide a method so for operating a steam plant involving a steam generating boiler and waste heat emitting devices. r Further objects'will appear as the description proceeds r e The one figure of the drawing represents diagrammatically a steam plant em odymg the principles of the resent invention.

. The numeral 1 in icates a boiler house, which supplies steam to the steam line 2. 40 The boilers within the boiler house 1 may be fired b means of oil, gas, coal, many other desire fuel, and if coal is used, said boilers may be either hand fired or stoker fired. Connected to the steam line 2 are a number of steam using devices, as for examplerolling mill engines 3r3 which drive roll ing mills 4-4, an electric generator 5 and a picking bath 6. I The numerals 7-7 represent heating furnaces, as for example-metallurgical applis ances inclusive of small open'hearths, puddling furnaces, malleable iron furnaces and the like, which emit waste heat, delivering heated gases to the waste gas flue 8. Ordinarily, the amount of waste heat emitted 1924. Serial No. 713,968.

will be substantiallyconstant. The numeral 9 1nd1cates a waste heat boller which should have a relatively highwater capacity, and

tube boiler. By the term relatively large water capacitydit is meant thatsaid waste heat boiler 9 comprises an accumulator hav ing a relatively large storage space loompared to an ordinary waste heat boiler ofthe size requisite for utilizing the waste heat from the waste heat emittingdevices asso ciated therewith. The constructionreferred to not only results in a high efficiency in transformation of the heat of the waste gases into steam but also provides a relatively large storage space for hot water. The steam space of the waste heat boiler 9 has communication with the steam line 2' through the line 10. The hot water within the waste heat boiler '9 is therefore at the temperature and pressure of the steam within the steam line 2.

With the plant running under average conditions, steam is continually generated by the boilers in the boiler house 1 and delivered to the main steam line 2. At the same time waste heat will be supplied by-the devices 7-7 to raise the temperature of the water within the boiler 9. Under the 'condit-ions referred to, the boilerszin the boiler house 1 and the waste heat boiler 9 will be steaming evenly. If the demand for steam slackens, the pressure within the steam line 2 will tend to rise and the waste heat from the devices 7-7 will be stored up in the boiler 9 in the form of hot water. If the demand for steam rises, the pressure, in the steam line 2 will tend to lower and the heat energy stored in the water in the boiler 9 is instantly released in the form of available steam. It will be evident that the variation in the steam supplied by the boilers in boiler house 1 will be less, in proportion to the amount of steam available from the waste heat boiler 9. e

In explaining the advantages of the pres-" ent invention the following facts may be set forth. Assuming that the boilerswithin the boiler house 1 are coal fired, either by hand or by stoker, if the boilers within the boiler house 1 were the onlyavailable means for supplying steam a sudden increase in steam demand wouldrequire the application of an increased amount of. coal in the fire boxes of said boilers in boiler house 1. If the heavy demand for steam is of short duration,

' for this reason it is preferred to use a fire v aizi-i connected to the stealnline 2 for storing up energy when the pressure in steam line 2 is high and for instantly supplying steam when the pressure within the steam line 2 tends to lower, the amount of'coal which need be sup aliedto the boilers in the boiler house rma e set at "a materially lower figure. vEhplaini ng the advantages of the present invention in other language, it may be stated that saidint'ention involves a waste heat boiler oflarge water storage capacity, (preteiahlya -fire tube boiler); Which boiler acts as 'an 'aocuimilator and storage means for theheatin waste gases of combustion, said hoilerreleasing said heatinto the main steam head ofasteampIant when steam pressures are falling in consequence. of a heavy'load outstepping the'output' of the main boiler house? Conversely, sai'dwaste 'heat boiler accumulates heat when the steam pressures rise duelto a lowlo'ad upon the plant and the Steahj CbnSumpf-imi in said plant is loss than .p'lant."j or p Though a preferred 'embodiment'of the present inventionlhas beenjlescribed in detail. manymodificationswill occur to} those shille'dfin the art. .It is intended to cover all'suohj'niodifications that fall within the seope of the invention as defined bathe appended claims. v I 1" -What is claimed is:" J 1.; In a steamlplant, a main steam generho'going evaporationrate of the mainhoiler ator, a steam line connected theretmwaste heat emitting devices, and an accumulator for storingup in the form of hot water the heat emitted by said wastel eat emittin devices,

said accumulator lieing connecte "to said a a steam line, sald accumulator having a rela:

tively large water storage space compared to an ordinary waste heat boiler of the size requisite for utiliaing the waste heat from said waste heat emittin devlces.

Q'Ina steamp lanty'coal fiidlJOllGIS, a

steam line supplied thereby, waste heat Millie ting devices, a heat accumulator supplied by said device s and meansconnecting the steam shoe or said'ascumulator with said steam 8; In'combination, a main steam generator,

a; "steam line supplied thereby, waste heat omitting devices. an accumulator compeising a waste heat boiler connected to be supplied by the waste heat from saidwaste heat emit ting devices, said accumulator being com heotedto said steamllnewhereby who in stantly available to supply steam to said steam line upon reduction of steam pressure within said steam line, said accumulator having'a-relatively large water stomgespace com arecl to an oidin'ary waste heat boiler of tiefsize re uis tefor' ntiiizmg the waste heat from sai waste heatemitting devices) 1924." i a 't a I FREDERICK H. WILDCOXM fSki ned atChicago, Illinois, this 14th day 1 a O 

